Process of preparing an overlay or make-ready.



JOHN F. COOK, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO NEW PROCESS MAKE-READY COMPANY, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, A COPARTNERSI-IIP.

PROCESS OF PREPARING AN OVERLAY 0R MAKE-READY.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN F. Coon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Preparing an Overlay or Make-Ready, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the method of preparing overlays or make-readies for use in printing presses and my object is to devise an improved method whereby the overlay or make-ready may be obtained much more expeditiously and cheaply than by the method usually followed of cutting out portions of the overlay sheet for grading the impression.

It is also my object to provide a method of producing an overlay or make-ready wherein impression differences may be more easily and accurately outlined and wherein also a finer gradation of the shading may be obtained.

It has heretofore been the practice to form the overlay by means of paper or the like having portions cut away or reduced in thickness to correspond to those portions of the form where it is desired to weaken the impression and thus bring out the high lights. This practice is tedious and slow and its possibilities for accurately providing for delicate difl'erences in shades very limited.

In carrying out my new process, I obtain a strong clear impression from the form upon prepared paper 2'. 0. paper which will be unafiected by moisture or will on drying return to normal size and condition, such as cameo plate paper, preferably paper of a dull finish. In taking this impression the ink is run as heavy as possible without filling up the high lights. While the ink is still wet, I dust the impression with a powder which may be composed of ninety per cent. carborundum or emery dust and ten per cent. flour, such as rye flour, moving the powder back and forth on the sheet until all parts are covered, after which I snap the back of the sheet with the fingers to remove the loose powder. If now on examination of the impression I find the high lights are cloudy, I brush off the dust with a small pointed brush, and if desired I can remove all of the dust from the high lights in this manner. The next step is to pass the powdered sheet Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 20, 1915.

Application filed October 13, 1313. Serial No. 794,933.

through a quickly drying solution which may consist of suitable percentages of alcohol (preferably pure wood) shellac (preferably orange) and ether. The solution may be conveniently placed in a pan and the sheet passed through the solution slowly three or four times after which it is suspended and allowed to drain, great care being taken not to allow anything to come in contact with the sheet. The sheet will dry in a few minutes and in this condition the flour particles of the powder have expanded and imparted a fullness to those portions of the sheet where the powder was not dusted ofi with the brush, the degree of fullness of any particular portion being in proportion to the amount of powder allowed to remain thereon. The carborundum dust imparts hardness and firmness to the overlay. The sheet is next treated with any suitable hinder or fixing bath, such as a solution containing a proper percentage of quick-drying varnish and turpentine. This solution is applied to the face of the overlay sheet preferably by means of asoft camels hair brush, or, should the brush scratch or shed bristles, the application may be made through the medium of a sheet of soft tissue spread over the face of the overlay, allowing the binder to penetrate through this tissue. After being treated with this binder, the overlay is placed in an oven and baked, care being taken not to allow it to bake too fast and blister.

By the above described method all hand cutting of the overlay sheet is eliminated and a combined overlay and make-ready of any required dimensions is obtained quickly and efliciently, and the delicacy of the shading may be preserved to any extent desired.

While I have indicated what seem to be the essential steps comprising this process, I desire to reserve the right to any minor variations thereof such as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The method of preparing an overlay or make-ready, consisting in obtaining an ink impression of the form upon a nonabsorbent paper sheet, dusting said impression while the ink is wet with a powder containing hard granular material and a soft material such as rye flour, removing any surplus powder in accordance with the shade lines desired, then passing the sheet through a quickly ration, and finally baking the sheet.

make-ready, consisting in obtaining an ink impression of the form upon a sheet of taining carborundum dust and a percentage then passing the sheet through a quickly drying solution for expanding the grains of flour still on the sheet, drying the sheet, then 1 treating the same with a fixing preparation and then bakil eg the sheet.

In testimony whereof, I aifix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN F. COOK.

drying solution for expanding the grains of flour adhering to the sheet, drying the sheet, then treating the same witha fixing prepa- 2. The method of preparing anoverlay or cameo plate paper, dusting said impression while the ink is still wet with apowder con- Witnesses:

CHAS. W. GERARD,

of rye flour, -ren1oving-any surplus powder 7 i G. 1. THORPE.

in accordance with the shade lines desired,

,Qopiesaof this patent may be obtained for five cents each, )by ad dnessing' the Commissioner of {Patents Washington, ,D. Q. 

